Are you capturing your brides in the best light? Get eight pro tips for taking your bridal photography from standard to stunning. Plus, gain the lighting, posing, styling and composition skills to deliver exquisite portraits every bride will want to buy when you enroll in award-winning wedding photographer Kathryn Krueger’s online Craftsy class Beautiful Bridal Portraits.
8 Tips for Bridal Photography
1. Get to know your bride
It goes without saying that you must know your camera if you would like to capture awesome bridal portraits. However, it is just as important for you to know your bride. Know what she likes about herself and which parts of her wedding day ensemble are most important. Let her know that she is not just another photograph for you but a unique personality and a unique image.
2. Make your bride comfortable
Do your best to make your bride feel comfortable. Give her a compliment on her dress, her hair, her shoes, her jewelry, or her figure. If you tell her that she looks good or looks confident, she just might feel good and feel confident. Having a relaxed and comfortable bride goes a long way when you are trying to achieve a strong bridal portrait.
3. Create a moment
It may help to talk your bride through her emotions and what you want to achieve in your photo. Are you trying to create a soft and moody portrait? Ask your bride to close her eyes and take a moment to reflect. It’s very rare for a bride to have an actual moment of quiet reflection on her wedding day, but if you set it up it becomes much easier to get the photo you want.
Create a moment.
4. Shoot down
Try to avoid shooting up at a bride. If you are shorter than your bride, get a ladder or a chair to stand on. This is very important if you are shooting from up close. When you shoot down at your bride and she is looking up at your camera you can avoid those awkward shots with double chins, large chins, and prominent nostrils.
5. Capture the details
Many brides are spending a ton of money so that EVERY detail is perfect for their wedding. Make sure to photograph these things. Your brides will thank you. Ask them about the details: the hairpieces, the necklaces, the earrings, the rings, the dress, the shoes, or anything else they have as a part of their wedding wardrobe.
Capture the details.
6. Find a quiet space
Along with using your words to make a bride feel comfortable, finding a quiet space can also help. It is OK to bring along one or two people that she is already comfortable with. But do not allow a crowd to gather while you are trying to take portraits. People become very self-conscious when a large group of people is watching them. Look for a secluded space where you can focus on making great photos.
7. Find flattering poses
All brides will want to look their best. Avoid straight on poses, but instead turn your bride a quarter turn to the right or left. This angle will give you a more flattering profile. Work to find angles that show the best possible side of your bride’s figure.
Find flattering poses.
8. Capture movement
Sometimes you can pose your bride just right but she still looks too stiff. Try asking your bride to move from one pose to another to create a little bit of movement. This will make your shots look more candid, even if they are carefully set up.
Improve your skills for a successful bridal photo shoot.
Now that you’ve discovered a few tricks to take your bridal portraits up a notch, learn even more expert strategies that will have your clients saying “I do” to your photography. Enroll in the online Craftsy class Beautiful Bridal Portraits. During class, you’ll discover a go-to shot list to please every wedding party, learn how to find stunning light, master in-demand detail shots and more, with guidance from award-winning wedding photographer Kathryn Krueger in the comfort of your home. Kathryn will even reveal marketing and branding insights, including the portrait session pitch that no bride can turn down! Watch anytime, anywhere, forever, and easily ask Kathryn questions for all the answers you need.
What are some of your favorite tricks for capturing beautiful bridal portraits?
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